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Original poster

Welsh speakers advice please

139 replies

wineapotamus · 12/12/2016 10:04

Hi all,
How would you pronounce the name Efa? I'm 3rd generation Welsh and can say things like nos da, mochyn and cariad that my main called me when I was small. My son has a Welsh name that I love and I'd like my little one (due in March) to have a Welsh name too, but I'm getting lots of variation on how this would be pronounced. Like eefah or ever or effer?
Diolch and all that xxx

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ElphabaTheGreen · 12/12/2016 10:21

Cross post with welshweasel Smile

I wanted to give DS1 a Welsh name since he was born there, but knew we'd be living in England, so it would be mispronounced and misspelled forever which would drive me mad Grin

lilydaisyrose · 12/12/2016 10:21

My favourite Welsh name is Merereid

welshweasel · 12/12/2016 10:19

Anwen would be a lot easier if you live in England! DS has a Welsh name and we live in England...had to think carefully about which ones would work.

ElphabaTheGreen · 12/12/2016 10:18

Hm. 'EH-va' is correct with that spelling, but living in London, or even outside of Welsh-speaking parts of Wales, she'll spend the rest of her life correcting the spelling and pronunciation of her name. She'd have a better chance with Anwen.

Also...is 'Efa' a bona fide Welsh name? It's not one I've encountered and I lived in one of the Welshiest-Welsh-speaking parts, surrounded by names from The Mabinogion, for a decade.

longdiling · 12/12/2016 10:15

I've heard it pronounced Ay-va where I live in south wales

Original poster
wineapotamus · 12/12/2016 10:12

I love it as eh-va. ooh this makes the shortlist interesting!

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aforestgrewandgrew · 12/12/2016 10:12

Oh, cross posts, sorry! Blush

JonesTheSteam · 12/12/2016 10:11

'f' in Welsh is pronounced like an English 'v'.

I guess Efa is the equivalent of Eva.

Except 'e' is never pronounced 'eeeee' in the Welsh language.

So 'ever' would be the closest proper Welsh pronunciation.

aforestgrewandgrew · 12/12/2016 10:11

I thought a single f was v in Welsh? If I knew it was a Welsh name I'd guess at Ever.

(Probably obvious I'm not a Welsh speaker, just curious!)

Original poster
wineapotamus · 12/12/2016 10:10

Thanks. No, we live in that London. My ds's name is pretty unfamiliar to non Welsh speakers and I just correct them. I don't mind that much. Also on the list is Anwen, which I love but it doesn't go as well with surname as Efa. Although there's a terrible temptation to use elephant as a middle name....Hmm

OP posts:
mamapants · 12/12/2016 10:10

Like brats
Not e-va but an eh sound to start

BratFarrarsPony · 12/12/2016 10:08

eh-va...one f is a v sound.

Kranksy · 12/12/2016 10:07

I pronounce it eeffah, emphasis on the first syllable.

Do you live in Wales? if not I'd possibly consider a Welsh name that's more well known unless people pronouncing it wrong won't bother you.

Original poster
wineapotamus · 12/12/2016 10:04

Nain. Not main. Stupid autocorrect...

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